GM bets on 3D printers for cheaper and lighter car parts

GM bets on 3D printers for cheaper and lighter car parts

GM bets on 3D printers for cheaper and lighter car parts. General Motors said on Thursday it was working with design software company Autodesk to manufacture new, lightweight 3D-printed parts that could help the automaker meet its goals to add alternative-fuel vehicles to its product lineup.

The ability to print lightweight parts could be a game-changer for the electric vehicle industry. With consumer concerns over the limited range of electric vehicles a major obstacle to their mass adoption, making them lighter improves fuel efficiency and could help extend that range. Read more here.

GM has used 3D printers for prototyping for years, but Kevin Quinn, the automaker's director of additive design and manufacturing, said within a year or so GM expects these new 3D-printed parts to appear in high-end, motorsports applications. Within five years, GM hopes to produce thousands or tens of thousands of parts at scale as the technology improves,